1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to systems and processes for automatically analyzing and matching object's colors using a digital image captured on an electronic communications device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The prior art discloses a number of color matching applications for use on mobile devices, such as to match colors of wall paints, furniture, clothing, etc. In most cases the user captures and stores an image of the item with their mobile device camera or laptop webcam. Then, the user runs a mobile application to compare the captured image to a reference database of images to determine their colors match.
The mobile application may run the comparison in a variety of manners. For example, the device may show the two images side-by-side so that the user can subjectively make the decision. Or the mobile device can conduct an image analysis to determine to what degrees they match. For example, United States Patent Application 20090252371 entitled “Mobile device with color detection capabilities” will breakdown the component colors into percentages (i.e. “Red: 10%, Blue 47%, Green 43% and Purchase Item Image: Red: 12%, Blue 47%, Green 41%”). It will then display a closeness of color match based upon a preset overall percentage margins such as “Overall Result: Compares within 10%, Close Enough” or “Overall Result: Compares within 10%, Almost the Same” or “Overall Result: Compares within 40%, Does not Match”.
The prior art also discloses a system comprising a remote server to analyze a color match. For example, in 2008 Hewlett-Packard Laboratories launched a service using a mobile device photograph to enable a woman to select her hue of foundation makeup (See U.S. Pat. No. 7,522,768). The consumer takes a photograph of herself using a mobile device camera while holding a specially designed color chart next to her face. The image is then sent by the consumer via multimedia messaging service (MMS) to a system server. The system uses image processing algorithms to extract the face from the image, and statistical classifiers to determine the user's appropriate foundation makeup color. The consumer then receives a text message containing the foundation shade recommendation that best matches her complexion.
The prior art does not, though, disclose color analysis of images captured on a mobile device using various image processing algorithms wherein the user can select what type of colors hues they will receive from the system, such as Main Colors, analogous, triadic, tetradic, square, complementary, and split-complementary colors. Nor does the prior art disclose a system for an online merchant to display all of their merchandise possessing a specifically identified color hue and type (i.e. all green picture frames) that matches a user's item (i.e. red poster).